The volunteer income tax assistance (vita) grant was established as a matching grant program to provide funding for organizations who support community volunteer income tax assistance

The Internal Revenue Service awarded the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) to United Way of Southeast Louisiana on October 1, 2025, in the amount of $198,682.

The recipient will deliver free tax return preparation and electronic filing services to low- and moderate-income populations in Louisiana, including individuals with disabilities, persons with limited English proficiency, Native Americans, rural residents, members of the Armed Forces and their families, and elderly taxpayers. The organization must ensure at least 90 percent of returns prepared serve individuals whose income equals or falls below the earned income tax credit thresholds, file all eligible returns electronically, and achieve production goals while demonstrating incremental increases in return preparation annually.

United Way of Southeast Louisiana is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in New Orleans. The award period runs through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in Louisiana. Sub-recipients may be utilized to help deliver key program elements and must adhere to grant program guidelines. The program aims to extend services to underserved and hard-to-reach populations, increase electronic filing capacity, heighten quality control, enhance volunteer training, and improve accuracy rates of returns prepared at VITA sites.

Activities

The vita grant program provides financial support to organizations who 1) extend services to underserved populations in hardest to reach areas both urban and non-urban; 2) increase the capacity to file returns electronically; 3) heighten quality control; 4) enhance training of volunteers; and 5) significantly improve the accuracy rate of returns prepared at vita sites. End goal/expected outcomes: vita grant recipients are expected to 1) follow existing guidance governing vita site operations; 2) ensure at least 90% of returns prepared are for individuals whose income is equal to or less than the maximum earned income tax credit (eitc) thresholds; 2) file all eligible returns electronically; 3) achieve 100% of their return production goals; 4) become more efficient with grant funds; and 5) show incremental increases in return preparation each year.

Intended beneficiaries

Taxpayers who are low to moderate income individuals, persons with disabilities, those for whom english is a second language, native americans, individuals living in rural areas, members of the armed forces and their families, and the elderly.

Subrecipient activities

Subrecipients may be utilized by grant recipients to help deliver key elements of the program and must adhere to grant program guidelines. Broadband: specific activities relating to broadband usage are not known at the time of award.